Administrative & Operations Assistant

The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development

Washington, DC | Full-time, On-site

About The Jerusalem Fund

Established in 1977 by Dr. Hisham Sharabi and colleagues, The Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Washington, DC. Through its three core programs—The Palestine Center (policy and public education), The Humanitarian Link (humanitarian and medical support), and Gallery Al-Quds (arts and culture)—the Fund works to:

• Foster greater awareness about Palestine in the United States and abroad;
• Support Palestinian educational, cultural, and humanitarian initiatives in Palestine and the diaspora;
• Preserve and amplify Palestinian stories, memory, and culture.

Position Summary

The Administrative & Operations Assistant is the front-line operational support for The Jerusalem Fund’s office and public-facing space. This role ensures that the office opens and closes smoothly, visitors are welcomed professionally, communications are routed efficiently, and programs, events, and development operations receive consistent administrative support.

The Administrative & Operations Assistant works closely with the Executive Director, the Program & Communications Manager, and the Finance, Grants & Donor Relations Manager, and interacts regularly with interns, volunteers, speakers, artists, donors, and community partners.

This is an excellent position for someone who is highly organized, enjoys being at the center of a mission-driven office, and is interested in how programs, finance, grants, and donor relations come together in a small but high-impact nonprofit.

Reports to: Executive Director

Works closely with: Executive Director, Program & Communications Manager; Finance, Grants & Donor Relations Manager; interns and volunteers

Key Responsibilities

1. Office Administration & Front-of-House

• Open and close the office each day, following a simple checklist (lights, doors, front desk, gallery area, shared spaces) to ensure the space is ready for staff, visitors, and events.
• Staff the reception and gallery area as the first point of contact for visitors, speakers, artists, donors, and delivery personnel, maintaining a warm and professional presence.
• Answer and route calls on the Fund’s multi-line phone system; take clear, detailed messages and monitor general voicemail boxes and RSVP lines.
• Monitor the main organizational email inbox(es), route inquiries to the appropriate staff, and flag time-sensitive messages so they receive prompt follow-up.
• Receive, sort, and distribute incoming mail; coordinate outgoing mail and shipping, including occasional bulk mailings and courier pickups.
• Coordinate with building management for maintenance requests, vendor access, and mail/package logistics.
• Maintain office and kitchen supplies and basic inventory (stationery, event materials, toner/ink, coffee/tea, etc.) and place orders as needed.
• Help maintain organized physical and digital filing systems for administrative, program, and financial documents.
• Follow and help refine simple office safety and security procedures (door entry, visitor sign-in, use of cameras/entry systems) to support a safe, respectful environment for staff and guests.

2. Program & Event Support (Palestine Center, Gallery Al-Quds, Humanitarian Link)

Working closely with the Program & Communications Manager:

• Assist in preparing and delivering public programs (lectures, panels, briefings, cultural events, exhibitions) by handling practical details and day-of execution.
• Help with room setup and breakdown for weekly and major events, including arranging seating, setting up tables and promotional materials, and returning the space to order afterward.
• Support basic A/V setup for in-person and hybrid events (microphones, projector/monitor, Zoom links, simple recording or livestream tasks) under staff guidance.
• Help manage RSVPs and guest lists, maintain sign-in sheets, and assist with attendee check-in and hospitality.
• Assist with event publicity logistics: posting basic event information to the website or event pages, preparing email lists for announcements, and printing flyers or programs.
• Support documentation and archiving of events (organizing photos, recordings, programs, and related materials into shared digital folders).
• Coordinate logistics for visiting artists, speakers, and researchers (scheduling, arrival instructions, local transport guidance, hospitality needs) as requested.

3. Donor Relations, Grants & Finance Operations Support

Working closely with the Finance, Grants & Donor Relations Manager:

Donor Relations & Acknowledgements

• Assist with the preparation and mailing of donor acknowledgments, thank-you letters, postcards, and tax receipts, ensuring accurate assembly, addressing, and record-keeping.
• Help organize donor-related files (correspondence, pledge forms, appeal responses) in both digital and physical formats for easy reference.

Gift Intake & Administrative Processing

• Support the administrative side of gift intake: date-stamping incoming checks, logging their arrival, preparing deposit materials, and scanning documents for secure storage, following established procedures.
• Ensure donor questions that come through the main phone or inbox are routed promptly and accurately to the appropriate staff member.

CRM & Records Support

• Perform assigned data-entry tasks in the donor CRM, such as updating contact information, logging mailings, and attaching key documents, with accuracy and discretion.
• Assist with basic data-hygiene tasks (e.g., checking for missing addresses or obvious duplicates) following written SOPs.

Grants Administration Support

• Help assemble grant application and reporting packets (PDFs, scanned documents, photos, letters), ensuring all required materials are present and properly labeled.
• Track and organize incoming grantee reports and supporting documentation so they can be easily reviewed by staff and committees.

Light Finance/Admin Support

• Provide administrative support to basic finance operations as assigned (organizing invoices, filing receipts and payment documentation, maintaining simple checklists), while financial data entry and decision-making remain with senior staff.

4. Executive & Team Support

• Assist the Executive Director with routine scheduling tasks, occasional note-taking, and preparation of meeting materials (e.g., printing agendas, assembling packets).
• Maintain and update shared office calendars that include internal meetings, staff travel, board gatherings, and major events.
• Support coordination of interns and work-study students on office-related tasks (e.g., front-desk coverage, mailings, data entry), helping ensure they have clear instructions and timelines set by program staff.
• Provide cross-coverage for essential front-office and event functions during peak periods, vacations, or unexpected absences, as directed by the Executive Director.

5. Digital Tools, AI & Continuous Improvement

• Use common office and collaboration tools (Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Zoom, basic website CMS, email platforms) as part of everyday work.
• Under staff guidance, experiment with simple, responsible uses of generative AI tools (e.g., for checklists, labels, basic templates, and first drafts of routine internal communications), always reviewing for accuracy, tone, and alignment with the Fund’s mission.
• Help document and refine simple standard operating procedures (for mail handling, event setup, CRM data entry, visitor procedures, etc.) so that critical office knowledge is captured and can be handed over smoothly in the future.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 1–3 years of experience in administrative support, office coordination, reception/front desk, or a similar role (internships included).
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through on recurring tasks (opening/closing routines, mail, calendars, RSVPs, data entry).
• Professional communication skills in person, by phone, and in writing, with the ability to interact respectfully with a wide range of guests and partners.
• Comfort working with shared inboxes, calendars, file-sharing systems, and basic digital tools.
• Ability to handle confidential information responsibly, especially donor and financial records.
• Reliability, punctuality, and a strong sense of responsibility toward the Fund’s mission and public-facing work.
• Interest in or knowledge of Palestine, the broader region, and the Fund’s mission.

Preferred

• Experience in a nonprofit, think tank, academic, or cultural institution—especially in a role that combines front-of-house with behind-the-scenes operations.
• Experience supporting public programs or events (logistics, RSVPs, on-site support).
• Familiarity with donor databases/CRMs or demonstrable ability to learn new systems quickly.
• Basic comfort with A/V and hybrid event tools (Zoom, microphones, projectors; YouTube or similar).
• Arabic language skills (spoken and/or written) are a plus but not required.

Work Schedule, Compensation & Growth

• Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours/week, on-site in Washington, DC, typically Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m., with occasional evening hours for events.
• Compensation & Benefits: Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience and in line with organizational policies for full-time staff.
• Growth: This role offers exposure to program management, development/grants operations, and AI-enabled nonprofit workflows, and may provide pathways for growth into more specialized operations, program, or development roles over time.

How to Apply

Please send a cover letter explaining your interest in The Jerusalem Fund and this position, along with your résumé and contact information for two references, to info@thejerusalemfund.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.